Broadway Street Nashville wakes up long before the honky tonk sounds kick in for the night. This lively strip, once a commercial artery where merchants hauled goods to the riverfront, is full of things to do on Broadway Street Nashville that have nothing to do with drinking. Along Lower Broadway, historic architecture stands next to western wear shops, and the daytime attractions here give families and non-drinkers just as much reason to visit as the neon signs do after dark, this cultural heart of the city is bigger than its bars.
Are there family friendly activities on Broadway?
Yes, during the day. Most bars go 21 plus by evening, but Nashville Underground welcomes families until 9 PM with bowling, arcade games, and a mechanical bull.
What to Do on Broadway Nashville Beyond the Neon
This keeps the same “there’s more here than you think” angle without hard-committing to a bars-free promise you can’t keep once bars show up in the H3s. “Beyond the neon” nods at honky tonk imagery (search-relevant, since neon signs are a real associated term) without boxing you into excluding bars content later. It also reads as a natural bridge line into a mixed list of daytime, shopping, and nightlife H3s, rather than a header the reader can catch you breaking two scrolls down.
Visit the Best Museums Near Broadway Nashville
If you want more out of Broadway than bars and boots, this is where you get it. A couple minutes’ walk beside Broadway, sitting quiet in the Broadway Historic District, you’ve got a run of Nashville country music museums housed in some genuinely historic buildings. This is where the street earns its name, this is the country music history part, not the neon part. Each one runs its own tour options, most open seven days a week, and a museum hour is honestly a smart way to break up a Broadway day before the bars fill in. Museums aren’t the only history on this stretch of Broadway either. For more historical places in Nashville worth exploring beyond this list, including landmarks just off the strip, see our dedicated guide.
National Museum of African American Music
Six interactive galleries tracing the roots most Broadway bands are borrowing from, gospel through blues, jazz, R&B, and hip hop. You build your own blues song, sing karaoke with a real gospel choir, walk out hearing the bars differently.
Frist Art Museum
Old art deco building, used to be Nashville’s main post office, and the architecture alone earns the stop. No permanent collection here, it’s all touring exhibitions on a rotating schedule, so check what’s up if you’re chasing fresh finds, the lineup genuinely turns over every few months.
Patsy Cline Museum
Small and personal, her actual belongings on display, letters, stage outfits, even a recreated version of her home kitchen and rec room. You end up closer to who she really was here than in any cover version down the street.
Johnny Cash Museum
The largest Johnny Cash collection anywhere, handwritten lyrics, stage costumes, guitars, personal letters. Worth a stop even casually, near mandatory if Cash is half the reason you flew in.
Ryman Auditorium
Everyone calls it the Mother Church of Country Music, and you get why the second you’re in those old pews, a proper historic venue with real weight to it. Ryman auditorium tours are self guided or backstage depending what you book, and booking online ahead is basically how to save money on Ryman auditorium ticket fees instead of eating the door markup.
Best Bars on Broadway Nashville
The best bars on Broadway Nashville are the ones with live bands, three floors, and rooftop bars stacked into one building, that’s Honky Tonk Highway in a sentence. You might be tired of hearing about bars by now, but skipping this part of Broadway means skipping Broadway itself, this strip basically built the industry. So better is that come earlier in the day if you’re avoiding the rowdy nighttime drinking crowds, the same bars feel completely different before dark. These downtown Nashville honky tonks are the reason people fly in for a weekend and leave already planning the next trip. These eight are the essential stops, but they’re far from the only ones. For the full list of bars on Broadway Nashville, including newer additions we didn’t cover here, see our dedicated guide.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
The purple building everyone knows, three floors stacked with live music and one of the better rooftop bars on the strip for looking down at the chaos below. Willie Nelson reportedly landed his first songwriting job here, so you’re standing in real historic hangouts territory, worth the squeeze inside just for that.
Robert’s Western World
Order the fried bologna sandwich, grab a stool near the stage, this is as close to old school country music as Broadway still gets. The house band’s played alongside country music stars like Alan Jackson, so the talent on that tiny stage is better than the size of the room suggests.
The Stage on Broadway
Big room, real dancing space, packed most nights with a rowdy crowd that feeds off the sound. Go here if you want the full loud Broadway experience instead of a quiet corner table.
Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse
Rooftop views, steak, loud music, it delivers exactly what the name promises. Worth it if you want a full scene, food and music and a view all at once, instead of hopping three separate spots for the same night.
AJ’s Good Time Bar
Set inside a building that once served as a Civil War hospital, now it’s a solid watering hole with live musicians most nights and noticeably less tourist crush. Good pick if the bigger names down the block feel too packed to enjoy.
Legends Corner
Walls covered in autographed albums and country music memorabilia, small stage, strong bands. One of the long-time standbys locals still swing by, worth it for the atmosphere as much as the music.
Whiskey River Saloon
Hop on the mechanical bull if you’re feeling brave, then stick around for the bands upstairs. Good stop if you want a laugh built into the night, not just another round of drinks.
Broadway Box
Less a destination, more a stop between honky tonks. Handy if you want a watering hole break without committing to a full set somewhere else, keeps the night moving instead of stalling in one spot.
Best Live Entertainment Near Broadway Nashville
Broadway isn’t only honky tonks, a couple of standout stops nearby push past the usual bar band lineup entirely. One brings a full active music venue with a big stage and real live performances, another swaps the band for comedy and acrobatics, and a third slows things down with an immersive in-room listening lounge built around the Ryman’s storied sound. Different pace, different night, same Music City thread running through all three.
Category 10
Downtown Nashville’s biggest stage and dance floor, plus a massive indoor outdoor rooftop, all built around Luke Combs’ hit “Hurricane.” Come for live musicians, stay for food, drink, and sports under one roof.
Shiners
roadway’s live acts are usually a band on a stage, Shiners swaps that for an 18 and over cirque and comedy show at the Woolworth Theatre, one of the best indoor activities to try in Nashville if the weather or the crowd outside isn’t cooperating, a full performances driven night built around acrobatics and a moonshiner family storyline. Different kind of show, same night-out energy.
Needle on the Record
Skip the crowd entirely and book the Ryman Vinyl Suite package at the Noelle Hotel, your own private listening lounge with curated vinyl. It’s an encore you control, replay the songs that mattered most on your own time.
Bridgestone Arena
For thrilling NHL action, catch a Nashville Predators game at their home rink in Bridgestone Arena. This premier venue hosts concerts, sports events, and the annual Country Music Association Awards. It also houses the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, featuring displays honoring Olympians, professional athletes, and legendary Tennesseans like Peyton Manning.
Best Restaurants on Lower Broadway Nashville
The best restaurants on Lower Broadway Nashville range from fast counter service to full rooftop dining, so there’s something here whether you’ve got twenty minutes or two hours to spare. This is where Broadway earns its reputation beyond the bars, real Southern staples, Tennessee hot chicken, and a rooftop scene that rivals the honky tonks next door.
Hattie B’s Chicken
The spiciest fried chicken on the strip, and the line proves it. Order online ahead or go mid-afternoon, that’s basically how to avoid long lines at Hattie B’s instead of standing outside for half an hour.
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row
Rooftop views over Broadway, a separate entrance that skips some of the street level crowd. Solid pick if you want food and live music without picking a random honky tonk.
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
Four levels of Southern food and live entertainment, plus the largest rooftop patio on Broadway, and if you’re hunting restaurants with live music in Nashville, this is one of the most reliable, live music runs most of the day here. It’s an easy stop for any country music fan wanting food with their show.
Ophelia’s
A quieter dining option tucked into the Broadway strip, good if you want a real sit-down meal without the honky tonk noise. Solid choice between bar hops.
Sixty Vines
Sixty wines on tap and a seasonal menu built for sharing. Good pick for a laid back lunch or dinner away from the loudest part of the strip.
Twelve Thirty Club
A 400-seat supper club with live acts, DJs, and the occasional surprise jam session. More polished night out than a typical Broadway stop, good for eateries with a side of real entertainment.
What Are the Best Family Friendly Things to Do on Broadway Nashville
The best family friendly things to do on Broadway Nashville happen before dark, and honestly there’s more here for kids than people expect from a street known for bars. Daytime honky tonk hopping gets the whole family in to hear live music without anyone checking IDs, but Broadway’s got plenty going on that has nothing to do with a stage or a drink menu at all, a candy factory, a river walk, a whole afternoon of puzzle solving. That’s your answer if you’re wondering is Broadway Nashville safe for kids, daytime here is genuinely easy, just know the strip flips 21 plus once night falls, so plan the visit around that. Broadway’s daytime side is only part of the picture too. For more family friendly activities in Nashville beyond this strip, including spots a short drive from downtown, see our dedicated guide.
Union Station
Start your journey at Nashville Union Station, a grand railroad depot built in 1900 and now a luxury hotel. Its neo Romanesque design features a soaring 65 foot lobby with a stained glass ceiling, Italian marble, and exquisite woodwork. Added to the National Historic Register in 1969, it’s a genuine piece of Victorian era grandeur sitting right on Broadway, worth a walk through the lobby even if you’re not booking a room.
Hume-Fogg High School
History buffs will appreciate Hume-Fogg High School, a Norman Gothic masterpiece completed in 1912. Resembling a medieval European castle, its twin towers and Tudor Gothic ornamentation, including stone carvings symbolizing literature, mathematics, science, and fine arts, make it a striking landmark in Music City. Still a working school, so admire it from the sidewalk, it’s one of the most photographed buildings on the strip.
Backstage Nashville
Nashville’s only daytime hit songwriters show, Saturdays at 12:30 PM, doors open 11 AM, all ages in the room (yes, actual kids sit through this one and love it). Real songwriters play the exact songs they wrote for country’s biggest stars, twenty bucks gets everyone in.
Walking Tour
Stroll 2nd Avenue and Broadway’s store fronts at your own pace, nobody’s rushing you toward a bar stool. Good way to let kids actually look at the buildings and neon instead of just weaving through crowds.
John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
Not technically on Broadway, but just a few minutes’ walk from where the street ends at the river, so it’s an easy add-on, not a separate trip. A free 3,150 foot walk with panoramic skyline views the whole way, and kids genuinely love this one, it’s basically a giant bridge to run across.
Goo Goo Chocolate Co.
Home of the combination candy bar invented right here in 1912 in a copper kettle, still America’s original. Watch it get made, build your own, kids get a hands on candy experience that beats any souvenir shop on the strip.
The Escape Game Nashville
A full family friendly hour built around solving a room together instead of anyone ordering a round. Genuinely fun as a group activity, the kind of thing that turns into the story everyone tells when the trip’s over.
Do Shopping on Broadway Street Nashville
Lower Broadway isn’t only music and bars, it’s a genuine shopper’s paradise, packed with souvenir shops, specialty stores, and western themed boutiques running the length of the strip. Whether you’re a boot enthusiast, chasing Nashville memorabilia, or just after sweet treats, every kind of shopper finds something on Broadway.
Big Time Boots
Three levels of cowboy boots, hats, and accessories right by the Ryman, family owned and running on Broadway for decades. Carries the big names, Lucchese, Ariat, Stetson, real range for budget or splurge.
Boot Barn
A downtown outpost of the national chain, easy walk from most Broadway attractions. Good pick if you want a big selection for the whole family in one stop.
Boot Country
Famous for a buy one get two deal on a stock of around 20,000 pairs. If you’re after volume and a genuine bargain, this is the stop.
Betty Boots
The country’s first all women’s western boutique, sister store to Big Time Boots. Focused specifically on women’s boots and styling, less overwhelming than the bigger multi level shops.
Broadway Boot Company
A locally owned specialty shop tucked among the music venues, boots, belts, hats, and buckles for men, women, and kids. Solid pick if you want a wider size range than the bigger chains carry.
Ernest Tubb Record Shop
Open since 1947, this historic gem deals in autographed photos, records, sheet music, and real memorabilia. A must for anyone chasing actual country music history instead of a printed T-shirt.
Savannah’s Candy Kitchen
A sweet haven with homemade ice cream, chocolate candies, and candy apples made fresh daily. Good stop for souvenirs that double as an on the spot treat.
Cotton Eye Joe’s Gift Shop
Broadway’s go to for T-shirts, western themed items, and classic keepsakes. Simple, affordable, easy in and out if you just need a souvenir.
Dixieland Delights
Known for themed T-shirts, hats, and music memorabilia, a solid stop for unique gifts you won’t find at the bigger shops. Good last stop before heading home.
Music City Shop
Located at the Visitor Center, stocked with music themed clothing and novelty items. Handy one stop if you want a broad mix of Nashville souvenirs under one roof.
Broadway Nashville Travel Tips
These tips cover the essentials, but if you want the complete guide to Broadway Street Nashville, from its history to a full day itinerary, see our dedicated guide.
Parking Near Broadway
The cheapest parking near Lower Broadway sits a few blocks off the strip, not on it. Garages like the downtown library garage on Commerce Street or Church Street Plaza run $10 to $20 a day, versus $20 to $60 right on Broadway during weekend nights and events. Book ahead through an app for the lowest rate, then plan on a 10 to 15 minute walk in.
Best Time to Visit
Early afternoon is the best window on Broadway. Bands are already playing, crowds are thin, and you skip the 21 plus crush that hits after dark. Weekday afternoons are quietest, Saturday nights are the busiest by far.
How Long to Spend on Broadway
A couple hours covers bar hopping and a meal. A full day works better if you want a museum and some shopping in too.
Walking Around Lower Broadway
Lower Broadway is fully walkable distance, most of it sits within a few blocks along the strip and 2nd Avenue just behind it. Park once and walk the rest of downtown Nashville from there.
Safety Tips
Daytime on Broadway is low key and fine for families. At night stick to well lit, populated stretches and keep your group together, most bars go 21 plus once things pick up. Accessibility Sidewalks along Broadway are wide and flat, and most ground floor entries are step free. Upstairs levels in multi level bars can be tighter to navigate.
FAQs About Things to Do on Broadway
Can you walk down Broadway in Nashville?
Yes, Broadway is fully pedestrian friendly and compact, most of the strip fits within a few walkable blocks along the Honky Tonk Highway.
Who is playing on Broadway in Nashville?
Live bands play daily at nearly every honky tonk, roughly 10 AM to 3 AM, with a different act on stage at each venue.
What are the things to do on Broadway in Nashville?
Broadway street offers too many things like live music, hot chicken, rooftop bars, museums like the Country Music Hall of Fame, and cowboy boot shopping, all within one walkable strip.